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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25503082">Smokey Eyes</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account'>orphan_account</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>OFF (Game)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M, and here i am in 2020 writing a fic about it, batter isn't good with emotions, game mechanics kinda sorta work, i used google translate i am sorry, it's MY fic and i get to choose how little it makes sense, player is a bitch, this game is over 10 years old, this year will be the game's comeback year just u wait</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 04:41:34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,849</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25503082</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Zacharie tries to get the Batter to open up a bit more. It would work if he wasn't so damn scared.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>The Batter/Zacharie</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>60</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. for now, you're here with me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>aa i recently got back into OFF!! i hope there are still some fans here in 2020 lmao. so i'm writing something 11 year old me would be proud of.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>      The puppet was paying an unnecessary price. Being forced to drag himself along despite the wounds all over his body. His baseball uniform was stained with blood, and he was unable to tell if it was from the Spectres or himself. The Batter cursed the player in his mind, they didn’t buy any luck tickets.. nor did they get any from that last battle. Suddenly, without warning, it felt as if his imaginary strings had been cut, the player must have left. The Batter couldn’t even sigh of relief, instead he immediately collapsed. Although he was bleeding out and in immense pain, he refused to sit there and die, he needed luck tickets, or at least something. God, this player either hated the Batter or really didn’t know what they were doing. <em> “I need to.. get to the shopping mall..” </em>Is all he could think, feeling a sharp pain hit him. He ripped up one of his shirt sleeves, wrapping it around the large wound on his stomach. The purifier knew Zacharie had plenty of luck tickets that he could buy. So, he tried getting up, dizziness immediately hitting him, his legs felt shaky. Somehow, the purifier managed to begin his journey to the shopping mall.</p><p> </p><p>-</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>      Zacharie stood behind the counter of his little shop. He felt the looming presence of some sort of.. higher power fade away.<em> “Ah, the puppeteer has grown tired for now.” </em> The merchant thought, smiling behind his mask. It was odd how he could always sense the presence of the player, but after a while he got used to it. He looked forward to the moments when the player left, nobody had to follow some sort of script anymore.. They were free to exist. He sighed, hoping some of this could last forever. The merchant shook his head. <em> “How silly of me.. These moments are just moments. Soon, the player will come back and the Batter will finish his mission to purify this world. One of two possible outcomes will happen, then it restarts. Just the way it’s always been..” </em>There was some sense of longing within him, for something new, something different.. Perhaps.. love-</p><p> </p><p>      Zacharie was too lost in thought to realize the Batter had walked in. Well, walked wasn’t the right word.. more like he fell into the door, breaking it. The Merchant ran towards the purifier, who was laying face-first on the ground. “Goodness mi amigo.. You’re paying for that door.” </p><p> </p><p>      The Batter looked up to face Zacharie. The merchant took notice of the wounds and the more obvious blood stained clothing. He quickly wrapped his arms around the Batter, helping him up and supporting him so he didn’t collapse. “Here.. we’ll go to the back rooms, I’ll close up shop.” The merchant said as they made their way to the back rooms, which were usually used for storage, the only exception being the small room Zacharie made for himself. It wasn’t much, just some blankets and pillows on the floor along with a few things he collected. The merchant didn’t actually need sleep, but enjoyed it more as a way to kill time. He laid the Batter down carefully on this makeshift bed of his. After a few minutes, Zacharie walked back in with a washcloth and warm water. “First, we clean you up a bit..” </p><p> </p><p>      The Batter tensed a bit at the thought of it. He just needed luck tickets, not someone to nurse him back to health. Zacharie took notice of this, rolling his eyes. “Oh come on Batter, it willn’t take but a moment!”</p><p> </p><p>      The purifier stared at the merchant with a blank expression. “Excuse me, ‘willn’t’-” This was Zacharie’s moment to strike, he pressed the washcloth onto the Batter’s face, wiping away the blood from a deep cut on his cheek. The Batter sighed, deciding not to protest, he was too tired for that anyways. After a while, he finally relaxed, resting his eyes for a bit as Zacharie washed away the dried blood from the Batter’s wounds.</p><p> </p><p>      The merchant finally got to the biggest one yet, the wound on the purifier’s stomach. He took a shaky breath, and got to washing the blood off of it, giving the batter a moment whenever he would flinch. Zacharie shook his head, murmuring. “Why is the player doing this to you mi amor..?” </p><p> </p><p>      The Batter looked up. “Huh..? I didn’t catch that.”</p><p> </p><p>      The Merchant chuckled. “Oh nothing..” He was thankful for the mask, otherwise the Batter would’ve noticed how red his face had become.</p><p> </p><p>      Of course the purifier didn’t believe him, wondering what Zacharie was up to. Was he.. planning on killing the Batter? Maybe he was waiting for this, a moment where the Batter was vulnerable, a moment where he could strike.. Almost as if it was some reflex, the purifier grabbed Zacharie’s wrist. “I can take care of the rest..” He said in a low tone. “Just go and get me some luck tickets.. I’ll give you the credits soon enough.” He shooed the merchant away. </p><p>      Zacharie stood up, feeling insulted. He glared at the Batter before running off to get the luck tickets. </p><p> </p><p>      Soon enough, the Batter was all cleaned up. Now he was just waiting for Zacharie to return, he had to be weary of the merchant’s actions though, unsure as to what he was trying to pull here. Some spare spare clothing was thrown at him, and Zacharie spoke. “Alright, here are some spare clothes, I’m washing yours. You may stay here tonight if that’s what you’d like. However, you’re only getting the luck tickets if you let me apply them on you. You don’t have to pay for them either, this one’s on me.” </p><p> </p><p>      The Batter crossed his arms, shocked that Zacharie would pull this nonsense. This is what convinced the Batter that the merchant was trying to pull something. “Fine then. I guess I am not getting any luck tickets. I’ll be just fine without them anyways.” He said with his usual cold expression. He pulled his hat down so he didn’t have to face Zacharie. </p><p><br/>      The merchant sighed, regretting even helping the purifier in the first place. “Fine then. At least hand me your filthy clothes after you change, I’m still washing them.” He said, not hiding his annoyance, as he walked away. Once he got back to the counter, he buried his head in his hands out of frustration. <em> “I told you he wouldn’t change..” </em></p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. i'm scared to ask you if you would do the same for me</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>      After a while of not hearing from the Batter, Zacharie figured he should at least check up on him, even if the purifier hated his attempts to help. He made his way to the, confusing to most, back rooms. Soon enough he found the Batter, still on the makeshift bed, asleep. He didn’t even change into the spare clothes that were given to him. Zacharie sighed, the Batter didn’t even need to sleep.. The Merchant decided not to wake him up though, noticing how peaceful and calm the Batter looked. He was staring for what was either minutes or hours, but it didn’t matter either way, Zacharie soon snapped out of it. He pulled out the luck tickets from his pocket. The purifier wouldn’t allow Zacharie to apply them, so the merchant had no other choice to do it while the Batter was asleep. Zacharie knelt down near the Batter and pressed a luck ticket against the cut on the purifier’s cheek. It glowed, then disappeared, the Batter’s wound was now healed. He repeated this process with the wounds that were all over the purifier’s body. He sighed, the player hasn’t been treating his friend too well.. The Merchant didn’t understand why the Batter was suddenly so cold and harsh, pushing Zacharie away. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>      After all the wounds were healed, Zacharie started carefully removing the Batter’s blood stained clothing. He threw them aside and tried his best to put the new clothes on the Batter without waking him up. It wasn’t much, just an old sweater and shorts, but it was better than what the Batter had before. Although the luck tickets healed the wounds, scars were still left in their place. Zacharie stared at the one on the Batter’s cheek, he felt a need to touch it.. First, he removed his friend’s hat, ruffling his hair. His hand then made its way down to the purifier’s cheek, Zacharie rubbed his thumb across the rough skin, sighing. Soon enough, he retreated his hand, not wanting to disturb the Batter’s sleep. He picked up the bloody clothes and went to wash them.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>-</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>      “Oh hey, you’re awake..!” Was the first thing the Batter heard when his eyes opened. He looked to his right to see Zacharie sitting against the wall. The purifier jumped a little, startled, </span>
  <em>
    <span>How long had he been watching- </span>
  </em>
  <span>“Did you sleep well mi amigo..?” The merchant spoke. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>      “What do you want from me Spectre..?!” The Batter yelled.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>      Zacharie felt his heart sink. The Batter really hasn’t changed.. huh..? He sighed, trying to keep his composure. “I see.. That is how you view me. But I assure you my dear, I am no spectre. I am not meant to be one, that is not my purpose.” He placed a hand on the Batter’s shoulder. “Please mi amor.. trust me..” You could barely hear the desperation in his voice.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>      The Batter moved Zacharie’s hand off his shoulder. “And how do I not know that..? You could be lying.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>      The merchant crossed his arms. “And why would I be a Spectre..?”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>      The purifier stared blankly at Zacharie, the question was unexpected. “Well.. B… Because everyone is. I run into someone and they always happen to be a Spectre.. They strike when I do not expect it..” There was a slight shift in his expression, you could see a hint of fear in the Batter’s eyes.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>      Zacharie immediately took notice. “You’re scared my dear..” The merchant slowly approached that Batter again. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>      The Batter backed up as best as he could, Zacharie stopped, letting him keep his space this time. The purifier shook his head. “I’m not scared. There’s no way I can be.” He tried keeping his cold and emotionless exterior up. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>      There was silence for a few moments, Zacharie wasn’t entirely sure how to respond. The Batter saw that he was wearing new clothes and that his wounds were gone. “I see you used the luck tickets.. Hm, thank you.. I guess..” He couldn't really complain.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>      Zacharie chuckled. “And you didn’t want me to apply them..”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>      The purifier sighed. “Yes, I apologize about that.. I see now you.. you are no Spectre.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>      The merchant smiled. “See? This is called trust mi amigo. Might wanna trust more often.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>      The Batter shook his head. “Afraid I can’t really do that. You never know who is secretly an impure spirit.”</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>      Zacharie nodded. “I see.. Well hopefully you trust me when I say that I am not.. I’m going to get you something to eat, please lay back down and rest.” The Batter gave the merchant a weird look, but before he could speak up, Zacharie already left the room.</span>
</p>
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